A Balance

Documentary director Yuko portrays a school violence incident from three years ago that resulted in suicides, while she was teaching classes at her father’s cram school. As her documentary project progresses, Yuko discovers a hidden truth and becomes deeply involved in the lives of the families pained by that secret truth. She learns that her friend-like father Masashi, a beloved teacher has committed a fatal mistake and experiences a shock that upends her life. Harumoto Yujiro wrote, directed, produced, and edited his second feature A Balance, firmly building up Yuko’s dilemma with a calm and objective perspective. His directing particularly shines while interweaving a narrative with a delicate inside look at an individual’s mind and a keen sense of social awareness.